Fireplaces are utilized not only for warmth, but also for the pleasing light and ambience they produce. However, it is often too warm to effectively utilize the fireplace, particularly in temperate climates. Furthermore, expending wood for the resultant light and ambience is expensive and wasteful.
Attempts have been made to utilize incandescent lighting to simulate the flames of a fireplace. However, the resultant lighting often does not produce the flickering of a real flame. Additionally, it requires either battery or corded electrical power to operate. Batteries require periodic replacement and fireplaces are generally not built with electrical outlets installed, thus requiring the running of electrical wire in some fashion.
An alternative solution is to use inexpensive candles as a flickering light source by placing them inside the fireplace. Thus, no electrical power is required and the candle produces a real flickering light source. However, a number of problems exist by simply placing candles on the floor of a fireplace. First, the candles may become dirty from soot on the floor. Second, the candles produce light on the same horizontal plane as the bottom of the fireplace wherein the maximum amount of light should be directed outward from the center of the fireplace opening. A candle holder may be used to stager the candles at various locations. However, the candle holder must be removed from the fireplace when wood is to be burned, particularly on a grate.
Logs in a fireplace are usually held by a grate. Most grates have four legs, and a plurality of longitudinally spaced apart, transversely disposed cradle members for holding the logs. The grate permits the wood to be burned safely and the resultant ashes to fall through the grate for easy cleaning. However, placing candles on a standard fireplace grate is impractical as there are no planer surfaces to hold the candles level.
Consequently, there is a need in the art for an apparatus able to provide the lighting effect of a burning fireplace yet only consume the resources of one or more regular candles.
There is a further need in the art for an apparatus that provides the dual-function of a candle holder and a fireplace grate.
However, in view of the prior art in at the time the present invention was made, it was not obvious to those of ordinary skill in the pertinent art how the identified needs could be fulfilled.